A unique Herpes simplex virus (HSV) vaccine is being developed in this laboratory. The vaccine consists primarily of prereplicative ("immediate early" and "early") virus polypeptides, protects mice against lethal HSV-1 and HSV-2 infections, and prevents the spread of virus from various sites of injection to the peripheral and central nervous system, liver and spleen. The proposed pilot study will determine the efficiency of this vaccine in preventing primary herpetic keratitis and recurrent disease in guinea pigs, based on clinical evaluation. The effect of immunization on the establishment of acute and latent trigeminal ganglionic infections will be determined by specific verological methods. Humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to the vaccine and following corneal infection will be measured. Histopatholgical studies on clinically appropriate animals will be done. This pilot project is designed to provide basic information leading to eventual detailed studies on the relationship of HSV antigens to ocular immunity and the pathogenesis of herpetic ocular disease.